ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to investigate whether dietary factors, normal fat and genistein leads to beneficial improvement of lipid metabolism and oxidative stress in adult hyperlipidemic male rats. Seven wk-old male SD rats were fed high fat diet (15% fat, 1% cholesterol) for 4 wks for induction of hyperlipidemic model rat. Weight-matched rats were then assigned to four groups according to dietary fat level (7% or 15% fat) and genistein contents (0 or 320 mg/kg diet). Food intake was significantly decreased by both high fat intake and genistein supplementation compared with normal fat intake and genistein no supplementaion. But weight gain was significantly decreased by genistein supplementation in normal fat intake compared with the other groups. Total lipid, total cholesterol and triglyceride in serum and liver were significantly decreased by normal fat intake compared with high fat intake. But total cholesterol in liver was significantly increased by genistein supplementation in both high fat and normal fat intake. TBARS in serum and liver was less produced by normal fat intake compared with high fat intake but TBARS in liver was significantly increased by genistein supplementation compared with genistein no supplementation in normal fat intake. Glutathione reductase activity in erythrocytes was significantly reduced by genistein supplementation in normal fat intake compared with the other groups. Glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities in liver were significantly inhibited by normal fat intake compared with high fat intake. Catalase activity in liver was significantly increased by genistein supplementation compared with genistein no supplementation in high fat intake. Nitrite was significantly decreased by normal fat intake compared with high fat intake. These results suggest that normal fat intake has the treatment effect against risk factors related with cardiovascular disease by reducing lipid profiles, lipid peroxidation. And genistein shows action as a antioxidant replacing antioxidant enzymes but also may act as prooxidant causing the production of TBARS.